Chairman, Chief Executive Officer
Third Federal Savings and Loan Association of Cleveland
Marc Stefanski joined Third Federal in 1982 succeeding his father, founder Ben Stefanski, as chairman and chief executive officer of Third Federal in 1987. Since Marc became chairman, Third Federal has grown from $1.8 billion to more than $17 billion today, with retail branches in Ohio and Florida.
Through the company’s nearly 1,000 associates, Third Federal does business in 28 states and the District of Columbia, reaching nearly 70 percent of the U.S. population. During his nearly 40 years as Chairman and CEO, Marc has led Third Federal with the belief that the role of a company goes beyond making a profit; that it also has a social responsibility to make the world a better place.
In 2007, under Marc’s leadership, Third Federal made a minority public offering.
Marc directed the creation of the Third Federal Foundation from the company’s IPO, which has now donated more than $60 million to the communities Third Federal serves, supporting education, housing, and other community development initiatives. Under Marc’s leadership, the Foundation has made significant investments in the Slavic Village neighborhood of Cleveland, solidifying the organization’s role as an anchor of the community.
His personal philanthropy focuses on the communities and institutions that have impacted his life and the lives of his family. In 2015, Marc and his children founded Rhonda’s Kiss, a charity named to honor his late wife, Rhonda. The charity awards grants to hospitals who, in turn, offer financial aid to cancer patients in need. Funds help pay for patients’ non-medical expenses such as rent, utilities, childcare, transportation and more. To date, Rhonda’s Kiss has donated more than $3 million to hospital partners, including the Cleveland Clinic.
Marc published his first book, People First: The Third Federal Way, in January 2025. The book reflects Marc’s vision of leadership and explores how the Third Federal value system of love, trust, respect, a commitment to excellence, and having fun has created the culture of the company, illustrating a deep appreciation of how much relationships matter both in our personal and professional lives.
Marc earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in economics at Heidelberg College (now Heidelberg University), and an MBA with a concentration in systems management at Baldwin Wallace College (now Baldwin Wallace University). He was awarded honorary doctorates in both Humane Letters, and Business Administration from Heidelberg. Marc and his wife Vanessa have seven children and eight grandchildren.